Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to mobile phone accessories and, more particularly, to a protective case for a mobile phone which includes an integrated solar cell for charging the mobile phone battery.
Description of the Prior Art
The use of mobile communication devices (or mobile devices), such as PDAs, cell phones (or smart phones, or mobile phones), and tablet computers, is well known. It is understood that such devices must be supplied with electricity to power their operations. Consequently, rechargeable batteries are typically utilized to enable the provisions of electrical power while not substantially compromising the mobile aspect of such mobile devices.
A problem which still exists, however, is that the use of rechargeable batteries inherently requires the battery be recharged in order for it to continue to supply the mobile device with electrical power. Recharging is typically accomplished through the use of battery chargers which plug into a port on the mobile device and to an electrical outlet to facility the transfer of electrical power from the electrical outlet for storage in the battery. When a mobile device is plugged in to a battery charger which is plugged into a wall electrical outlet, however, it essentially becomes tethered to the wall and its mobile aspect is lost for the duration of time the battery is recharged. Thus, there remains a need for an integrated mobile phone case and charger which enables the battery of a mobile device to be recharged without being connected to a wall electrical outlet or otherwise tethering the mobile device to a fixed location. It would be helpful if such an integrated mobile phone case and charger was embodied as a case adapted to additionally provide protection for the mobile device from physical damage. It would be additionally desirable for such an integrated mobile phone case and charger to utilized solar cells which converted light to electricity to be used to recharge the battery on the mobile device. An added advantage of this would be to the stranded user who feels helpless to make a call because the battery is dead
The Applicant's invention described herein provides for a mobile phone case and charger adapted to harvest ambient or supplied light energy and supply electricity therefrom to a mobile device as well as transfer heat away from the mobile device to facilitate more efficient operation. The primary components of Applicant's integrated mobile phone case and charger include a hard rubber mobile phone case having built in solar cells, a thermoelectric cooler, and an integrated microprocessor to control to the desired operations. When in operation, the integrated mobile phone case and charger allows a mobile device on which it is disposed to become essentially self sustaining through improved efficiency and an ongoing conversion of light to electricity to be provided to the battery. As a result, many of the limitations imposed by the mobile device battery charging systems are removed.